Intricacies of Affiliation
by xxStarBrightxx
Summary: Drabbles/ficlets about our favorite demons. Some romantic, some not. Hiei and/or Kurama- centric. Rating may go up Chapters 9 and 10 up.
1. Chapter 1

**These are just a bunch of random yyh drabbles/ficlets for my own amusement. Comments/critique/suggestions are welcome. Do not own.**

 **In Time**

Theirs was an intricate dance. They moved around each other in graceful arcs, at times meeting to touch and at others, drift apart. They spent centuries in orbit, perfectly in time. From an outsider's perspective, it may appear beautiful, but they would have to watch closely to see the steps for what they were. At the wrong moment, one might mistake the dance for battle: two souls who loathed each other and pushed back against one another. They could spend years nursing grudges, contemplating missteps and damaged pride. But then, after all that, they would inevitably come together, back from fear, anger, frustration, from other songs and other partners. Eventually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, they fell into step.


	2. Chapter 2

**Influence**

Hiei had held immense pride in knowing Kurama's name. Obtaining the sword was nothing more than a technicality at this point; his true claim to power was the influence he had over the legendary spirit fox. Who but Hiei could boast the knowledge of Kurama's survival and whereabouts, let alone his services as a thief?

The humans he surrounded himself with were hardly worth a second thought, but it amused Hiei greatly to know that they all fell for the ridiculous, innocent, _human,_ rouse. They had no idea that a powerful demon was playing possum among them.

Even Gouki, upon learning Kurama's identity (which Hiei revealed for little purpose other than to brag; he had no intention of letting Gouki live long enough for the information to matter), did not understand the significance Kurama's partnership. He was young and stupid, and did not know enough of the ruthless bandit to appreciate the prize. For not only were they unstoppable now, but Hiei knew that as far as future endeavors were concerned, having a partner who trusted you in a weakened state, whose powers would only grow, was nothing short of invincibility.

It wasn't until Kurama calmly walked away from their celebration that Hiei began to realize his folly. The indifferent expression Kurama held as he told Hiei under no uncertain terms that their alliance was over chilled him to the bone. But it wasn't until he hear of the tale Kurama told Yusuke: one of reform, regret, and sacrifice, that he finally realized that he never held any influence over the fox to begin with.


	3. Chapter 3

**[Based on the fact that Hiei is constantly talking up Kurama to others and my own personal headcanons]**

 **Praise**

"Jeez, Hiei's sure layin' in on thick."

"Whatdya mean, Urameshi?"

"I know they're friends or whatever, and Kurama _is_ pretty kick-ass when he wants to be, but it seems like every time some bad guy goes all ' _you can't even touch me, pretty boy'_ Hiei gets really impassioned about defending him."

"Well of course he's gonna stick up for his friend! Wouldn't you?"

"No, that's the thing. I don't. Kurama's our friend and teammate too, but we don't do that. Why? Because Kurama usually cuts them to bits with his whip or feeds them to some crazy plant or something. He takes care of himself."

"I don't know Urameshi. Hiei does a lot of weird stuff."

"What do you think, Grandma?"

"Heh, like I give a damn. All I know is that one's the worst inferiority complex I've ever seen."

"What, Kurama?"

"No you idiot, Hiei. If anything Kurama's got the opposite problem…I bet Hiei takes it as a personal attack for someone to call his partner weak."

"Yeah that sounds like Hiei alright."

"Probably not the reaction he expected when he paired up with him."

"Wait what do you mean by that, Genkai?"

"Yoko Kurama had quite the reputation a while back."

"Oh yeah, 'Makai's Greatest Thief' and all that. Hiei must've expected people to be more impressed."

"More than impressed. You should have heard the stories about him back in the day. I'm sure Hiei did. Kurama was a household name among demons. Not to mention a pain in the ass. Never did get my scrolls back…"

"It's weird to think about Kurama doin' all that stuff, isn't it, Urameshi?"

"…not entirely."

"Hiei was a thief when you started up, right? Well use your head. Gods no what shitty upbringing _that_ piece of work had. But I'd bet you anything he grew up hearing all sorts of tall tales about _the_ Yoko Kurama and wanted to be just like him. So how do you think he'd react when people start insulting his idol? Especially when he knows he's less intimidating and less well-known in this form."

"Well they always say meeting your celebrity crush can be disappointing."

 _"Urameshi!"_


	4. Chapter 4

**Buried**

Hiei saw the myriad of masks Kurama wore around those he loved: to his mother, he was Suichi, the perfect son and student; to Yusuke and Kuwabara he was a noble teammate, a reformed criminal and self-sacrificing hero. There was a point when Hiei believed he was the only person to truly know _Kurama_. Who better to empathize than the only other demon in the world to go from criminal to Spirit World employee? To be trapped between two worlds? To love someone so completely and be unable to reveal his true identity to her?

But Hiei could also see the mask Kurama wore around him. There were brief moments when he thought he glimpsed the real Kurama, but he would soon be covered up with a calculated expression, adjusted to current company and circumstances. He was no fool; he too understood hiding behind personas, disguising emotions and reactions as something else. He just wasn't very good at it. But Kurama was.

When Hiei told him as much Kurama merely smiled in polite amusement and replied simply that anger and sarcasm were walls to hide behind, not tools for handling a situation.

"You mean manipulating one."

Kurama continued to smile but did not respond. Hiei began to wonder if there was really any true Kurama at all, or if he'd been buried long ago beneath so many layers of deception that even he no longer knew who he was.


	5. Chapter 5

**[WARNING: rating _slightly_ higher for this one: T for implied hanky-panky]**

 **Set before Three Kings Arc**

 **Hesitance**

 _You're welcome to stay the night._

There was a tenderness in their touches, in spite of their anger. Kurama noted sadly that they had reached end of their partnership, their new alliances revealed. Tonight was their parting song.

Hiei had entered the bedroom with a whisper of displaced curtains fluttering in the bright light of the moon. Kurama lay with his back to the window, feeling the other's presence but unwilling to show his face for fear that it might reveal the betrayal and grief he felt. He knew as well as Hiei that his pursuit of Mukuro's offer was more than an act of simple curiosity, just as Hiei knew that Kurama would come to Yomi's aid on the tug of ties much more complex than the ones that bound the two of them.

 _You don't have to leave, you know._

Hiei set his sword against the wall with the barest hint of hesitance, which did not go unnoticed but Kurama did not comment upon it. His boots and cloak followed.

Without a word Hiei made his way to the bed, steps falling silently on the carpet. Kurama chose this moment to rollover and face him, his expression blank. There was a brief moment before they moved together, before Kurama reached up to cup Hiei's face, before clothes fell to the floor or tangled with sheets, before nails grazed over—but did not pierce—skin, before breath came out in small pants, before heat and desire and longing and loss tugged at their cores, when their eyes caught, and they had a silent exchange.

 _You could stay, if you wanted to._

They made a silent agreement, to one more night. One last affair between them. This time without walls, without pretense. To ignore the rawness of the moment and feign indifference would be a cruel and pointless exercise in hubris; recent events make such acts seem especially pointless. Tonight was not a night to trivialize their relationship, which had grown stronger and deeper than either had intended, and severing their connection could not be done lightly.

Light faded outside as the moon sank just below the treetops; it would be several hours before the sun emerged. Coiled together in sweat and release, they steeled themselves for the parting of ways, but each found himself unwilling to move just yet.

But soon their breathing returned to normal, and their blood ceased to race. Hiei moved to sit up but Kurama's voice reached out to him tentatively, caressing him like the brush of fingers.

"Stay with me? Please."

It was the first time he'd asked in so many words and, without any hesitation, it was also the first time Hiei complied.


	6. Chapter 6

**Coming Home**

Kurama knew he was doomed the moment he began to equate "Hiei" with "normal."

Not "normal" as in "average" or "typical." Rather, "normal" in the sense that Hiei smelled like Makai and tasted like freedom. And this made Kurama ache with a longing that struck him far more forcefully than he could have anticipated. His appearance was never quite human: his eyes were too red, teeth too pointed, hair too outrageous, features too elven, but he managed to walk among and beside humans. Despite his grumblings, he fought beside his human teammates with surprising dedication. What's more, while Shiori did think his appearance odd, she accepted his presence as merely one more idiosyncrasy of her son's, and did so without any fanfare.

To Kurama, Hiei was solid ground as much as he was an earthquake: reliable in battle, flighty, honor-bound and loyal, abrasive, inspiring. Hiei made Kurama want in equal parts to be a demon again and to be a full human.

Hiei was the only other being in existence who might even begin to understand his situation. At the very least, he knew what it was like to fight alongside humans, go against all deeply held beliefs, be branded as a traitor, and to still want to fight for this side.

Both understood well the inner conflict. That the place where he should be is not the place where he belongs, and that the place where he wants so desperately to be is not the place he is needed.

When Kurama felt Hiei's presence, he felt the comfort of a friend who _understood_ , the ease of their acquaintance in spite of betrayal or distance only served to bind them together even more fiercely. When Hiei returned after an absence, Kurama breathed easier, relaxed muscles he hadn't known he'd tensed, and found himself easing into the sense of familiarity and of pieces falling into place.

To Kurama, Hiei was home.


	7. Chapter 7

One day, Kurama came in through Hiei's window for a change.

He was out on a scouting mission for Mukuro when Kurama scaled the side of the mechanical insect (or rather, allowed his plants to scale it, then instructed the vines to carry him up) and climbed into his bedroom, smirking at the irony.

Kurama was mildly disappointed Hiei hadn't been asleep when he arrived. It was a rare occasion that someone got to surprise Hiei, and Kurama would have enjoyed the opportunity. However, time did not permit for him to wait around until the other fell asleep. Besides, the last time he'd surprised Hiei, he'd ended up with a sword in his gut.

Which was not an experience he'd like to repeat anytime soon.

When Hiei did arrive, he was less surprised to find the fox than he was confused. He'd clearly sensed him when he reached the fortress, and was-in spite of himself-curious about Kurama's intentions.

"This is different," was Hiei's greeting.

Kurama's lip turned up slightly in one corner. A subtle, happy expression to most, but Hiei recognized a smug grin when he saw one.

"A bit of a role-reversal, yes," Kurama said simply.

Hiei waited for an explanation. When none came he very nearly rolled his eyes. Instead, he began to settle in by tossing his cloak on the floor. Then, very deliberately, he laid down his sword. Kurama did smile this time, a genuine smile at the gesture of trust.

"Well?" Hiei demanded after plopping down on an overstuffed chair and kicking his feet up on the adjacent table.

"I suppose you're wondering why I came to you," Kurama began, the smirk returning.

"You said 'role-reversal,'" Hiei grunted. "If you're expecting me to indulge you-"

"Not quite. I just rather thought that was an interesting summation of the situation."

This time, Hiei did roll his eyes. "You're being deliberately evasive."

Kurama raised an eyebrow.

There was an I can use big words too joke in there, but Hiei wasn't the type to make it.

"You're injured," he started, drawing out the words slightly as if talking to a child.

Kurama just nodded casually. Perhaps he would have shrugged if his arm hadn't been nearly removed from his body at the shoulder.

"There are far more experienced healers than I," Hiei said matter-of-factly. "At least one, I recall, lives far closer to you than I do. And as masochistic as you can occasionally be, I know you are smart enough not to go traipsing through the Makai with your whip-arm injured to the point of immobility just to find a demon who can't even treat you properly."

Kurama nodded again, in an acutely disinterested fashion.

Hiei waited once more for a response, then after about a full minute let out a laborious and exaggerated sigh and threw up his arms in exasperation. "I swear to every single God, Kurama, if they removed your voice box as well I will personally slaughter them in a slow and agonizing fashion for taking that particular pleasure from me!"

Kurama smirked again. "If you'll recall, Hiei," he said softly. "I was speaking just a moment ago."

Hiei grit his teeth together. "Then perhaps I should take advantage of the opportunity and remove it while I can."

"Then you'll never learn why I'm here, will you?" Kurama replied cryptically.

Hiei nearly scorched the door on his way out, his entire body beginning to glow in angry flames.

Kurama waited a just few moments for effect and then took several shaky steps forward. Despite the blood loss, he smiled to himself and, knowing Hiei was still within earshot, remarked, "Honestly, Hiei, can't I simply stop in on an old friend on my way to Mukuro's healing chambers?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary:** The others had mixed reactions upon finding out about Hiei and Kurama's (rather tumulus) affair.

Shizuro had caught the looks that passed between the pair on the first day she met them and had drawn her own conclusions from there. She never mentioned it apart from that one time when Kurama had offered to help with dinner while Kuwabara took a study break to coax his cat down from the top of the bookshelf and she casually asked if chasing after small creatures perched in high places was a successful endeavor for anyone else in this house.

Keiko had never speculated on the matter and didn't know either demon well enough to comment. In fact when she witnessed Hiei sizing Kurama up with a predatory gaze at the Dark Tournament, she was reminded of her first encounter with the former demon and for the sake of her own mental health decided not to investigate further.

Yukina once spotted a slight brush of their hands together in passing and outwardly beamed at the thought of their happiness. Inwardly, she dismissed her working theory that her brother had only never revealed his identity to her because he was uncomfortable with closeness, as evidently this was not the case.

Yusuke spotted a hickey on Hiei's neck at a border negotiation and was about to rip into him for it when Kurama entered, looking entirely too composed and appropriately apologetic for being ten minutes late. His smile was perfectly pleasant and polite, but the mischievous gleam in his eye was damning enough. Yusuke glanced back at Hiei only to find a very slight pink blush on his cheeks and a flicker of annoyance in his expression. A booming laugh echoed throughout the hall, but Yusuke refused to say what was so funny other than that he owed Genkai a great deal of money.

Kuwabara, ever the last to find out about anything, was the most vocal in his reaction. On a cool summer evening after a boisterous reunion on the beach, he noticed the pair drift away from the group, and followed after them, suppressing his energy in the hopes of sneaking up on and surprising them. Instead he found Hiei and Kurama engaged in a serious whispered conversation, which his spirit sense read as Very Private. He was about to turn away when Kurama leaned forward and crushed his lips to Hiei's, holding him in place by the back of his neck. When they finally pulled apart, Kuwabara was beside them, looking solemn. Kurama opened his mouth to explain but Kuwabara spoke first, saying he very truly hoped things worked out for the both of them, but in light of the circumstances, he could no longer be Kurama's best man in the morning.

I live and breath for evil!Kurama. Or at least flawed!Kurama, because these characters are all beautifully flawed and that's what makes them so compelling.

Also, I didn't include Boton or Koenma's reactions because it didn't seem to fit with the flow (and I couldn't think of anything good for them). Anyway let me know what you think of this one, I really rather liked writing it :)


	9. Chapter 9

Kurama frowned in distaste. His posture stiffened as confusion faded to annoyance. While Yomi couldn't see this shift in demeanor, he certainly felt the subtle change in his companion's aura. Which really only served to amuse him further.

"Is there something about this situation you find humorous?" Kurama prompted, allowing the slightest irritation to coat his tone.

Yomi's quiet chuckles subsided, but the quirk of his lips suggested a smirk, one particular expression Kurama had not seen on the King in a very long time.

"Merely a thought," he replied. While his words were flippant, his tone suggested teasing.

"And is this a thought you might care to divulge to your second?" The reference to his subservience was no mistake, a preemptive strike in an unbalanced power play in which Yomi already held the high ground.

If it came across as snarky, Kurama was loathe to admit it.

"It is nothing of consequence," Yomi dismissed. His smile remained in place, a tell Kurama recalled from more than one night of gambling away hard-won riches. Briefly, he took a moment to squash down the feelings of vindication those memories surfaced. Their past already hung heavy between them, and would continue to do so for centuries to come. No sense in lamenting on the relative righteousness of his actions.

Yomi stifled another chuckle. Kurama allowed himself a moment of righteousness.

In truth, Kurama wasn't quite sure why this was bothering him so much. Yomi's game was childish at best, something he should be able to easily ignore or subvert with a clever comment. But he had to admit he'd found himself in a peculiar mindset today. Their meeting with the leaders of Alaric was productive, resulting in new peaceful trade routes along the shared border with Ningenkai. A success by all accounts, relations between the neighboring territories had never been so prosperous.

Kurama couldn't care less. Throughout the entirety of their deliberations, he found himself irritable, distracted by something akin to a ringing in his ears: insistent and unwelcome.

Yomi's laugher was similarly irksome.

They'd arrived back in Gandura, making their way through the stark metal hallways in Yomi's keep in relative silence. Kurama felt the familiar sensation of anxiety and suffocation in the lifeless fortress crawling along his skin. A single seed in his hair began to sprout, a shy tendril reaching out to caress the back of his neck in a show of comfort. The gesture had the opposite effect; Kurama's own anxiety was enough to fill him with distaste.

Weakness was such a bitter pill.

"Enough."

Kurama surprised himself with his own outburst. His tone was low and severe, final. Kurama hadn't passed down a moratorium with such authority in over fifty years. It was instinct, though, to want to shut down his subordinate with absolutism, regardless of current status. Youko Kurama was unquestioned; Yomi would do good to remember such things.

Yomi, to his credit, did not appear ruffled, though his smile had vanished.

"My apologies, old friend," he pacified. It hardly mattered, Kurama's loss of control was an admission of defeat, one he knew would not be soon forgotten. "An amusing thought occurred to me, though not necessarily an accurate or appropriate one." Had he been in Youko form, Kurama's ears would have twitched at the word "appropriate". He waited quietly for Yomi to continue.

"I couldn't help but notice your...impatience during today's proceedings…" Kurama's jaw tightened. "I found it curious that your irritation appeared directed rather singularly at Mukuro's hier. It conjured memories." Yomi's tone was wistful. "I find myself drawing certain parallels."

"Parallels to what exactly?" Kurama muttered, as if to himself, puzzlement gracing his features ever so slightly.

Yomi let out a laugh at his confusion. The sound caused raised eyebrows and impetuous looks among their guard. Kurama was nearly chilled by the sound, and felt the ghostly remembrance of his past life; for a split second, he could see a foolhardy youth across a warm fire, face cast in a merry glow, and bright, expressive eyes, alight with laughter.

What a shame.

Kurama was jarred back to the present by Yomi's next word. "Hiei, is it? He has clearly achieved commendable notoriety in spite of his age and...temperament." Yomi's words took on a poisonous edge, very nearly accusatory. "So young to incur such wrath from _Youko_ Kurama- forgive me- but, I can only extrapolate from what my own eyes can see."

The barb was not lost on Kurama. "And what do you _see_ exactly?" he spat.

"A pattern," he said simply. "You are so…" he smirked devilishly "... _ruffled_ by untamable things."

Kurama blinked at the teasing, practically flirtatious tone. And then the words registered, and he was suddenly thrust back in time, to a memory of an argument that ended in hard punches, heavy panting and pounding blood.

" _I'd prefer not to break you, but you'll find I have ways of taming recklessness," he'd said, a hand tightening around Yomi's throat._

" _Is that so?" Yomi had replied, breathless but defiant. His eyes flashed with excitement. "Surely you don't want me perfectly complacent. I thought you enjoyed a little challenge."_

 _Youko's lips curled into a cruel smirk at the implication. "I enjoy many things…"_

Another memory was brought up on the tail of the first; an old, but deeply cherished moment in time:

" _Catch me if you can!" Kuronue took off, staying below to the treetops, weaving nimbly between them until he disappeared from sight, his laughter echoing through the forest._

 _Youko gave chase, wind blowing back his hair and generating electricity in his veins. His mind was cleared of heavy thoughts and instead he allowed himself to feel, to breathe in air beat back from the wings of his wild prey. The rush of the hunt was unparalleled; he might never catch his quarry if this high could sustain him forever._

To Kurama's surprise, a third memory surfaced, much more recent and unexamined.

" _Are you up to the task?" Hiei sneered. "Or has the mighty truly fallen among these humans?"_

 _Kurama smiled in a way that may have appeared demur to others, but Hiei saw the way his eyes flashed at the statement._

" _Are you?" He withdrew the rose from his pocket (his hair wasn't long enough to store more than a few seeds at this point) and inhaled its scent. "Or are your attacks limited to snide words?"_

 _Hiei leered as he drew his sword. "Enough talking," he said, and set the spar into action._

Thievery was an inherently quiet, stealthy profession, but Youko's demon blood had always called for loudness, for messiness. He'd trained himself to be methodical and strategic, and later, to be human. Thus, reckless companions were frustrating and filled him with resentment. And yet, Kurama reflected, watching Yomi's mouth twitch at Kurama's introspection, these wild companions allowed him catharsis, allowed him indulgence. Perhaps that's why his chosen partners were so often the ones who angered him the most.

"You're thinking far too deeply about this," Yomi cut in. His voice was changed now, though amusement still colored his tone, Kurama could sense wisdom in his words. "I'm merely teasing you." _about Hiei_ , he may as well have said.

In another life, Kurama may have reacted in defense of the implications, lashing out with a cutting remark (or perhaps, something more literal). In this case, he found himself indulging in his human youth, in the misguided, ill informed, optimistic, _recklessness,_ of the human spirit.

Trust was a learned reaction for some.

So Kurama laughed. He laughed both at and in spite of himself, so hard the guards stared and Yomi- the _bastard_ \- joined in.

"Oh dear," Kurama replied gravely, wiping a tear from his eye. "It appears I have a type."


	10. Chapter 10

**This one is inspired by that one moment during the Three Kings arc where Mukoro is Calling Hiei On His Shit, as she does, and asks if he's serious about the whole "grr I don't care about people, I will fight anyone, just watch me" thing and then the camera pans directly to Kurama and Mukuro is Very Pointedly looking at him like "Really, Hiei? You're gonna fight your crush, too?" and he misunderstands and says "yeah, I'll even fight you". Like, let's not forget, Hiei, in like episode 10 you said the only reason you became his partner (** **besides the crush thing, the crush thing is very real and you can fight me on that** **) was to avoid fighting him yourself so i'm calling bullshit on that one**

 **So**

 **Just**

 **Yeah**

"Bullshit," Mukuro said, not looking away from her work on the machine above her head. Something had backfired within the depths of the giant insect, causing the entire fortress to halt in its progress toward Raizen's old territory. She didn't trust the engineers to fix the cataclysmic error, and several had been succinctly disposed of in the aftermath of the malfunction. Currently, she lay on her back, squeezed underneath a massive contraption, rooting around among gears and wires, swearing and banging on metal with a variety of tools for which Hiei had no name. She was covered in grease, though only the lower section of her legs were visible to anyone standing by.

Hiei leaned casually against the metal wall to the left of the contraption, looking over the machinery with mild interest. In his time at her fortress, he'd learned a fair amount about the technology Mukuro had at her disposal, but the intricacies of the inner mechanics of the bug itself were still somewhat lost on him. He made a mental note to spend some time in the belly of the keep. Constant improvement and all that.

Mukuro aimed a swift kick at Hiei's shin, tearing him from his thoughts. He aimed a glare at where her head would be, bristling slightly at the fact that it actually _hurt_.

"If you're going to hang out here while you mope, you might as well make yourself useful. Hand me that wrench."

Hiei, ever ornery, rolled his eyes as he bent to retrieve the tool.

"He's become complacent. He'll rot in that human shell until he can't even defend that precious mother of his," his voice dripped with disdain and frustration.

Mukuro grabbed the wrench from his outstretched hand and rolled her eyes as well. "You may be a prodigy by most standards, but never forget that that fox has been a deadly legend for longer than you've been alive. I won't pretend to understand his current situation, but I'm certainly not stupid enough to think he's any less of a threat now than he ever was at the height of his power."

Hiei wasn't exactly sure how to process the statement, which, in spite of its derogatory tone, still held a complement.

" _I_ know that." he spat. Lashing out was really his only way of dealing with such things. "But there are plenty of demons who don't, ones who would challenge him if they think he's weak."

Mukuro smirked up at the washer she was tightening. "Then they will soon learn. You still didn't answer my question. Why are you so concerned about whether or not he participates in the tournament?"

"Because he's a demon!" He snapped, voice pinging off the metal and distorting his tone. "He should _want_ to fight! He should _want_ to show the world just how deadly _Youko Kurama_ is-in any form!"

"Apparently he does not share the sentiment," Mukuro replied cheerfully (or as cheerfully as Mukuro could ever reply). "If he's not concerned about his reputation, I fail to see why you're so worked up about it."

"I am not 'worked up'," Hiei huffed, crossing his arms petulantly.

Mukuro said nothing.

Hiei fidgeted, ill-contained and aggravated. "It's a _shame_. To see a demon of such...magnitude-"

"Oh please, _do_ regale me with another one of your infatuated speeches about the _great_ Youko Kurama," Mukuro laughed without humor. "There's nothing I enjoy more than listening to you go on and on about the _magnificent, deadly_ -"

She was interrupted by a loud clang as some tool of hers was flung at the pipe above her head.

"I am not _infatuated_ ," Hiei sneered. He was angry, she could tell, far past the point of good humor and edging into a dark and dangerous version of Hiei. One that occasionally let loose a fiery dragon to run rampant and destroy everything in sight.

A lesser demon may have backed down at the notion, but if Mukuro enjoyed anything about her life, pissing off Hiei was probably one of her top three favorite pastimes.

Mukuro slid out from under the machine, and looked up at Hiei with a composed, if slightly amused, expression.

" _Bullshit_ ," she repeated.

She rose to her feet and wiped some of the grease from her hands onto her pants.

"You absolutely _are_ infatuated and don't you dare try to deny it. You don't want Kurama to come to the tournament so he can prove something, you just want to see him in action." She shouldered past him, towards the door, turning her head slightly to look at him with a curious expression. "I wonder what would happen if fate pitted the two of you against each other."

"I'll fight anyone who challenges me," Hiei growled, teeth and fists clenched. "You know that."

Mukuro began out the door. "And yet, he's not challenging you. Poor, Hiei, all this pent up _tension_ , and no where to go…"

The door swung shut behind her, leaving Hiei alone among the machines.

 **Mukuro and Yomi probably have lunch every once in awhile just to laugh about how f*cking stupid their seconds are. Maybe I'll write that as a companion piece.**

 **For more of these two being teased mercilessly by their employers, I'm going to plug "con·tra·dic·tion" by caseyvalhalla because it's a hilarious and very well written piece.**


	11. Chapter 11

"It's about time."

Kurama smiled at the dry tone of his once friend, glad for the familiarity of the sound.

"It's good to see you, Hiei." He looked up towards the treetops, spotting the figure in black military garb. Hiei leaped down and landed less than 10 feet away. He'd matured in the time since their last meeting, features becoming more defined and less childish, an added couple of inches to his height and straightened posture allowing him some semblance of authority. The most notable change, however, was the relative softness in his gaze. Hiei, who had been known for his abrasiveness and sharp glares, looked calm and composed, even, Kurama might go so far as to say, content.

He grunted, and Kurama nearly chuckled at the sound. Some things never change.

"Are you ready?"

It was a loaded question, and Hiei knew it. Kurama hesitated for a movement, not wavering, simply reflecting.

When his mother passed, Kurama had found himself at a crossroads, unwilling to let go and yet yearning for freedom. His human half ached at the loss, while some part of him, the deeper, more primal demon that lurked below the surface, felt a strange sense of…

...of what, exactly?

Relief was not befitting, given how much even the darkest parts of his soul had irrevocably changed as a result of this human woman's influence. No, it was something simpler.

Finality, perhaps. He'd done it, lived out his human life beside his mother and experienced all his humanity had to offer. And now…

...now what?

It had always been his plan to return to the Makai when his human life was over-a deadline he'd silently translated to "when mother is gone"-but now he felt rather hollow at the prospect.

It took him a long time to realize that this too, was a form of grief. Not over his human mother, but his own humanity. He'd grown used to his heart, it's constant rhythm and it's erratic fluctuation in emotion. The idea of halting it was disconcerting in more ways than one.

So he didn't. For five years, Kurama continued to live and work as a human, visiting other human relatives and completing mundane human tasks. He traveled some, and saw how humans of other cultures lived. He took time to visit with the earth itself, expanding his seed collection with rare plants from far-off places, and occasionally, staying still, letting his senses explore this world, committing it to memory. He would come back to visit on occasion, he was sure, but never again would he live on this plane. Never again, would he be human.

And so, when he'd had his fill and his soul was stated, Kurama gave into that finality. He said goodbye to his mother's grave, walked away, and did not look back.

Kurama looked once more at the demon in front of him. Despite his maturation, Hiei would always appear youthful to Kurama. Young and reckless and full of fire. He could feel the sparks between them now, restless even in this quiet, slow moment. Hiei, child of the Makai, was here to escort him from the human world and into a new life. He wasn't returning, not really. There was no going back to his days of unfeeling cruelty, just as there would be no going back to being human. This life will be something shaped from his experience and blended with new freedoms.

Amazing, that after all of his years alive, there were still new experiences to be had.

Hiei showed no impatience at Kurama's hesitation, a definitive sign that he too had changed in the interim. He was still youthful, eager to prove himself, headstrong and rough around the edges, but Kurama could see a wisdom growing in Hiei, a kind of peace that came from purposefulness, a sharp contrast from the agitated child he'd once known. Hiei grew up, in the same way Shuichi, and in turn, Youko had.

On that thought, a playful notion arose. These two demons, forever altered by their time among humans, by the incredible people around them: Shori, Mukuro, Kuwabara,

And Yusuke.

They stood together once more as partners, ready to begin something new, something utterly unique, with each other.

Hiei removed his outer cloak, discarding his military honors received under Mukoro, and cast it aside. Underneath he wore a simple black shirt and pants, not dissimilar to what he'd worn the first time Kurama met him.

Kurama responded by raising his energy, shifting to his demon form, discarding the form of Shuichi Minamino for the last time. It didn't matter, Shuichi's soul was forever melded with Youko's; he would carry his humanity forever.

The fond, hopeful expression looked strange on Youko Kurama's face, but Hiei did not waver.

"Yes," Kurama answered. "Let's go."


End file.
